Commemorating the KhoiSan Anti-colonial Struggle of May 1659

Iziko Museums of Cape Town hosting a symposium to commemorate the KhoiSan anti-colonial struggle of May 1659 on 19 May 2009. The 19th of May 2009 will mark 350 years (semiseptcentennial) since the KhoiSan-Dutch confrontation of 1659 in the Cape.

It was here in the sand dunes of the Cape that the Khoi and San societies formed a military coalition to resist the inevitable colonial expansion that later changed the destiny of every black African child, man and woman born on the continent. According to the historian (Nigel Penn 2006: 13) in his compelling account (The Forgotten Frontier): “…it was on the frontier that the truly vital issues were decided in a short space of time: issues such as who should own the land and what conditions, and who should work for whom and under what conditions”. It was a race against time, where the “losers” would lose more than just their rights to live as dignified citizens of this beloved land, but also ultimately lost their free will as they were trampled upon by those who regarded themselves as “kings”, “queens”, “leaders” and “guardians” of human kind and modernity. 350 years since this tragic event that led to the defeat and later extinction of the KhoiSan societies, it has been argued that the resistance of May 1659 was the “mother” of all colonial resistance and later anti-apartheid activities that were to take place in South Africa and the South African history remains incomplete without the remembrance and acknowledgment of this anti-colonial struggle by the indigenous societies in Southern Africa, particularly the Cape.

As an institution we view this event as an opportunity given to us by history to remember those who fell defending this beautiful country from the colonial aggression. It will also be a moment when we will have to celebrate the triumph of our democracy over the colonial domination and later apartheid in South Africa. Furthermore this will also be the reaffirmation of our collective understanding that without the coalition of the KhoiSan anti-colonial resistance precedent set by the confrontation of May 1659, the struggle for our collective and individual freedom/s from colonial oppression would not have been possible. We therefore owe our recognition to those who set the resistance standard for the present generation.

Who should attend:

• Museum and Heritage Sector organizations, institutions, professionals and students
• General public interested in the topic

Time: 11h00 – 16h00

Guest Speakers:

• Prof Nigel Penn (Professor of History based at UCT, History Dept)
• Chief Martin Engelbrecht (CEO, United Griqua Development Trust)
• Dr. Janette Deacon (San rock art specialist)
• Ron Martin (Chairperson of the SA First Nation’s Indigenous Museums Foundation)
• Zenzile KhoiSan (Managing Editor, Rootz Africa Magazine)

RSVP: Wandile Kasibe, email: wkasibe@iziko.org.za, tel: 021 481 3804
For more information on Iziko Museums of Cape Town, click here.